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Melysa Marwyn
Melysa Marwyn-Ashvale is the 1st Duchess of Seastone and one of Stromgarde's most prominent political figures. She frequently travels throughout the Eastern Kingdoms on diplomatic affairs and remains active in the restructuring of Stromgarde's House of Nobles. An annointed paladin of the Order of the Silver Hand for over two decades, Melysa has only recently announced her retirement from the paladinhood after creating a chapter of the order in Stromgarde, known as the Order of the Crimson Fist, and serving one month as Grand Knight of the Congregation of the Silver Hand. Melysa is the eldest daughter of Joren Marwyn and his lady wife, Lizabet McGowen. Following the deaths of her father and elder brother, she became the first female head of house Marwyn. Like many descendants of Strom, she is no stranger to combat and well-trained in the art of warfare, having fought for the Grand Alliance in numerous conflicts against both the scourge and the new Horde. Despite all her efforts to do so, at 39 years old, Melysa has not remarried. Styles *'Reference Style' - Her Grace, the Duchess of Seastone *'Spoken Style' - Your / Her Grace *'Informal Style' - Melysa Notes: Addressing her as Lady Ashvale has been known to draw her ire as it reminds her of her late husband, and his well-known infidelities. Titles and Offices Stromgarde Peerage Lordaeron Peerage Stromgarde Offices Appearance A striking woman in her late-thirties, she has the figure of a woman matured. Well-endowed and aged like a fine wine, she is clearly of noble blood. Her sapphire eyes are perhaps her most memorable feature, though they reveal much sadness of late. Her hair is quite long, easily reaching the small of her back and cascading in soft, reddish curls which accent a somewhat pale complexion, common to many highlanders. She tends to wear long, richly colored gowns of silk and samite, tailored to accentuate her figure while leaving just enough to the imagination. They are often a season or more out of fashion and unlike many women of Noble birth, Melysa is seldom seen wearing fine jewelery, save for her earrings of course. Though rarely seen in it, she does own a handsomely crafted suit of armor, befitting a woman of her station, but Melysa seems to prefer her simple, light-weight armor to the cumbersome suit of plate. The simple armor she wears regularly is well-worn and showing a myriad of nicks and scrapes from many years of use. Weapons of Choice *Widow's Fury - Melysa's favored longsword, recently forged by Seastone's smith. *Joren's Might - A longsword that once belonged to her lord father, Joren Marwyn. *Gilnean Rapier - A handsomely-crafted rapier, gifted to her by the late Baron of Blackpine. Personality A woman of grace and dignity with a good mind for politics and diplomacy, she often attended King Terenas' Court in Lordaeron and handled most matters of her late husband's estate. Once a woman of unconditional kindness, devotion and faith in the Holy Light, her husband's infidelities and the many tragedies she has endured during the last two decades have hardened her heart a great deal. She places high expectations on those who hold political offices and does not suffer fools lightly. Those who serve her well are swiftly and handsomely rewarded so as to ensure their continued loyalty. Loyalty is of paramount importance to her and those who have earned her trust will find no more loyal an ally than Melysa. Contrarily, those who have proven themselves to be disloyal or dishonorable are treated with nothing short of contempt and will rarely be given a chance to redeem themselves. Like all Marwyns before her, Melysa is fiercely loyal to the house of Trollbane and until very recently, patiently awaited Lord Danath's return. Despite many tragedies and the precarious position in which she now finds herself, Melysa still believes that it is the sacred duty of the nobility to guide and protect the commonwealth and to that end, she continues to live modestly while using what wealth she possesses to improve her lands and provide a better quality of life for her people. She has been known to accept refugees from neighboring villages without hesitation, often providing them with food, shelter and even work where available. Relationships Ethan Ashvale Though she initially loved and respected her lord husband, Lord Ethan was not faithful to her and was known to have fathered a bastard boy with one of his mistresses during a vist to the South. When Ethan returned from Stormwind with another woman's child, Melysa's initial reaction was rage and she is said to have knocked out one of her husband's teeth during the heated argument that followed. The couple eventually reconciled and Melysa attempted to put the matter behind them, but in her eyes, the boy would never be a son to her and his very existence served as a painful reminder of her husband's infidelity. Merridyth Marwyn In keeping with her brother's wishes for his only daughter after his unfortunate demise, Melysa now acts as guardian to her Niece and works to arrange a suitable marriage for the young lady. Varyc Marwyn A distant Cousin of the Countess, the young soldier pledged his sword to the defense of her holdings and was granted a Knighthood in recognition of his service. Wishing to rise higher still, the young man has repeatedly pressed the Countess to make him lord of the holdfast on the border of Alden's Rise. After Karindir Stonewarden's disappearance, Varyc was made Champion of Seastone, and later granted Castle Marwyn. Having proven his loyalty time and again, with no male heir of her own, Melysa has made him first in the line of succession. Arryc Blackfyre Melysa has tried to do what she feels is right by offering her late husband's bastard a living at Seastone. Following the Siege of Orgrimmar, Melysa finally reconciled with him and and through her efforts, Arryc was legitimized by Royal decree. Political Relationships As a former Ambassador of Stromgarde and a prominent political figure, Melysa has cultivated relationships with people and organizations throughout the world. Her contacts range from ranking memebers of the intelligence community to key figures in the government of various Kingdoms. Though at times she may pretend to be ignorant of certain matters outside the Arathi Highlands, the woman knows a great deal more than she would have people believe. Hellissa Brisby When Hellissa Brisby took up the mantle of Lady Regent of Stromgarde, Melysa was quite skeptical and often questioned the Duchess' motives. After watching Brisby prevent two different men from usurping Stromgarde's Crown, Melysa chose to support her efforts and has worked with her to restructure the house of Nobles, broker alliances with other nobles and prevent a number of small rebellions. Stormwind As a former Ambassador of Stromgarde, Melysa frequently visited the Southern bastion of humanity and has developed many contacts within its house of nobles and its military regiments. She works tirelessly to promote good relations between the two Nations and establish strong alliances. There have been rumors regarding her ties to a ranking member of SI:7, but whether or not they are true remains a mystery. The Wildhammer Clan Never one to overlook a potential ally, Melysa has long valued Stromgarde's dwarven neighbors, but none more so than the Wildhammer dwarves of the Hinterlands. She often visits a number of their settlements and since the reconstruction of Seastone Keep, Dagran Stormhammer has been the Countess' guest on numerous occasions. Stormhammer has lent the Countess six of his best gryphon riders, who have provided her aerial support and surveillance. Gilneas She is not particularly fond of Gilneans, viewing them as cowards who hid behind a wall while the rest of the world dealt with the threat of the undead scourge. Though she has since warmed up to some of them, she still views the majority of them with suspicion. She does however empathize with the Northgate Rebelion and those who sought to convince their King to do away with his isolationist policies. She has even entertained the possibility of a marriage between her Niece, the Lady Merridyth and one of Darius Crowley's long-time supporters, the Baron of Blackpine. Negotiations have gone so well that the Baron presented Melysa with an ornate rapier, crafted in the traditional Gilnean fashion. Alterac Despite her friendship with Hendrek Westfield, her hatred of Alterac and the syndicate that rose from the ashes of the traitor Kingdom is surpassed only by her hatred of the forsaken and she has ordered the deaths of a number of high-ranking syndicate members since her return to the Arathi highlands. Melysa believes Alterac rightfully belongs to the Kingdom of Stromgarde as it was their soldiers who crushed the traitor Kingdom in the first place. Pandaria Melysa has only recently traveled to the continent of Pandaria in the interest of establishing trade agreements that will benefit Stromgarde in the years to come. She was so well-received by the people of Dawn's Blossom that before departing, Melysa was given a handsomely crafted suit of armor, forged by one of the pandaren masters. Beliefs Still very much a classist, Melysa believes that the appointment of those not born into Nobility to positions of government presents a threat to the stability of any realm as those men and women typically lack the qualities present in those who were bred to rule. While she does believe that change can be a positive thing, she is cautious and insists that such changes must happen slowly and over a period of many years so as not to upset the balance of power and invite chaos. She has greeted Hellissa Brisby's desire for reform with a mixture of skepticism and enthusiasm, but remains closely involved in the workings of Stromgarde's house of lords in the effort to prevent reforms she feels would be detrimental to the Kingdom's future. Faith Like all Marwyns, Melysa has always been a member of the Church of the Holy Light and after her marriage to the lord of the Ashfort in Lordaeron, she was inducted into the Order of the Silver Hand and would serve the order faithfully in Lordaeron until it was suspended by Prince Arthas. Melysa is currently a member of three organizations with their roots firmly grounded in the church and until her recent retirement, served as both the elected Grand Knight of the Order of the Crimson Fist and Grand Knight of the Congregation of the Silver Hand. Residences and Wealth Residences *Seastone Keep - The seat of the house of Marwyn *Stone Manor - A fortified manor located to the West of Seastone Keep. (Now largely a ruin) Though Melysa was the dowager Lady Ashfort after the deaths of her lord husband and their son, the forsaken currently occupy the Ashfort and all its attended lands. With no other personal residences, save for her family's Castle at Stonegarde in the Kingdom of Stromgarde, Melysa has resided in many places since the Ashfort was taken, including Ambermill and the city of Stormwind. Since being created Countess of Seastone, Melysa's official residence has been Seastone Keep, though she often stayed within the chambers reserved for ambassadors at Stormwind Keep when her presence was required in the Southern Kingdom. Though the chambers she was given are small and sparsely furnished, she much prefers them to the busy Cathedral disctrict and can often be found in the gardens adjacent to the Royal Library. Wealth Much of her current income is derived from the quarry for which the Marwyns original holdings were named, the local fishermen, sea trade and taxes. With much of the Kingdom in ruin, stone from the Countess' quarry is in high demand and is carted to settlements throughout the highlands. With the recent creation of the Duchy of Seastone, and the annexation of all the unclaimed land to the West of Seastone, she now holds two silver mines, a gold mine, and a vinyard. Charitable Work Coming Soon The Countess of Seastone's Foundation For The Restoration of Stromgarde Coming Soon The Seastone Orphanage Established in May of the year 623 K.C. with partial funding from the Regency, the orphanage provides food, clothing, shelter and basic education for more than a hundred children orphaned by the ongoing war against the Horde in the Arathi Basin. History Early Years Born at Stonegarde in the Kingdom of Stromgarde, Melysa was the second child of Joren and Lizabet Marwyn. She was afforded the very finest in education and trained in the arts of combat and warfare like all Stromgarde's high born children. Melysa showed a distinct lack of interest in all things befitting a proper young lady, but took to swordplay like a moth to a flame, much to her lady mother's dismay. Her favorite books were those that told the tales of Stromgarde's gallant Knights and during a conversation at a feast held by her father, Lord Joren was quoted as having said "It would seem I have two sons." It was her father who decided to put an end to her swordplay and insisted she become a proper lady, but Melysa defied him and continued to practice with their master at arms while her father tended to matters of state. By the time she was thirteen, offers for her hand in marriage came from a handful of Stromgarde's Noble houses, but Lord Joren had other plans for his only daughter and after the second war ended, he was certain of the proper course. Marriage and Children Desiring to maintain an individual alliance with Lordaeron after Stromgarde's unfortunate departure from the original Alliance of Lordaeron, Joren arranged a marriage pact between Melysa and the new lord Ashfort, Ethan Ashvale. The pair were married in Melysa's sixteenth year. Her marriage joined the house of Marwyn to the wealthy house of Ashvale and while the couple hardly knew one another, theirs was not an unhappy union in its beginning. The ceremony took place in Lordaeron and just nine months later, their son, James Ashvale was born. Despite such a promising beginning, times of war made it difficult for the couple to conceive more children and Lord Ethan's many affairs during their son's younger years put a great deal of strain on the marriage. Despite her husband's numerous indiscretions, Melysa remained faithful and dedicated herself to raising their son to be an honorable man. Paladin Defender of Lordaeron At the age of eighteen, Melysa was formally inducted into the Order of the Silver Hand at Alonsus Chapel in Stratholme, and would serve the order faithfully until it was suspended in Lordaeron by Prince Arthas. Despite Lordaeron's fall and the death of Uther the Lightbringer, Melysa still considered herself a paladin of the old order. Though the weapon has not seen battle in more than sixteen years, Melysa still owns the warhammer given to her by her late husband's Uncle on the day she was anointed. Tragedy Melysa's later years were marked by tragedy in many forms, beginning with the fall of the Royal house of Menethil and the rise of the undead scourge that swept over her husband's land like locusts, destroying everything in their path. Despite repeated attempts to retake the Ashfort, the household was forced to retreat to Ambermill, leaving behind their collection of priceless artwork and the house's treasury, which remained sealed in the Ashfort's vault. Melysa and her family lived as refugees for many months, during which her husband made several more attempts to retake the Ashfort. Lord Ethan was later slain in battle during the Siege of Icecrown Citadel and Melysa had his remains laid to rest elsewhere so as to prevent them from being raised by the scourge. During a final attempt to retake the Ashfort just months prior to the discovery of Pandaria, Melysa's son, James Ashvale was slain in battle. Like his father, James refused to wait while the forsaken held his seat of power and with less than a hundred men at arms, he stormed the battered castle and was pierced by more than a dozen arrows. Melysa was forced to lead what remained of their household guard on a raid that many considered to be suicide in order to recover his remains. During the raid, Melysa was wounded once by arrow and once by blade, though she continued to fight in spite of her wounds. After recovering her son's remains, Melysa laid him to rest beside his father and spent the next few months recovering from her wounds and mourning the loss of her only child. Now recovered and having lost everything, save for what meager wealth was salvaged from the Ashfort when it was initially evacuated, Melysa began a long journey on horseback to the Southern Kingdom of Stormwind. She planned to return to her ancestral home at Stonegarde, though not before acquiring enough swords to guarantee safe passage through Stromgarde. Recent Events Return To Stromgarde After arriving safely in Stromgarde, Melysa learned that the syndicate had slain her brother and what few soldiers remained under his command during a raid on Stonegarde. Saddened by the news and feeling more hopeless than ever, she visited the crypt where Liam Marwyn was laid to rest and said her final farewell to the brother she had not seen in nearly twenty years. Informed of her brother's last wishes, Melysa now acts as guardian to her Niece, Lady Merridyth and has taken personal responsibility for her dowry in the event that a favorable marriage can be arranged for the young lady. With the aid of her Cousin, Varyc Marwyn, Melysa managed to rally what remained of her brother's men at arms and personally led them into battle against the syndicate. Victory was achieved when Melysa convinced the remaining people of Alden's Rise to attack from the East while her own force attacked from the West, trapping the syndicate men in the stone quarry, from which the city of Stonegarde received its name. Following the resolution of the civil strife between various warring factions in Stromgarde, Melysa utterly abandoned late husband's land and title in Lordaeron and with a renewed sense of purpose, she began the daunting task of resettling her ancestral home in the Kingdom of Stromgarde. With a team of masons and unskilled laborers, the reconstruction of Stonegarde Keep itself was expected to take three or more years to complete due to her lack of a consistant income and the rapidly depleting Marwyn treasury. Stromgarde's House of Nobles Known for her desire to weed out corruption and see the highlands ushered into the future under leadership whose primary concern is the people of the land, rather than the gold that fills their coffers, Melysa has dedicated much of her time to speaking with the other remaining Arathi Nobles, lobbying for support with various Alliance organizations and working with the Lady Regent to restructure the house of Nobles. Despite the limited power the house of lords possesses, she feels as though it is the best course of action to ensure the Kingdom's survival during Lord Danath Trollbane's absence. Countess of Seastone For her work in restructuring the Stromgarde House of Nobles and all the effort she has made to provide work for the displaced citizens of the highlands, Melysa was raised to the rank of Countess, granted a seat on the Regent's council and also granted the neighboring holdings of Alden's Rise, which were annexed into her holdings. The combined holdings were renamed as the County of Seastone. Almost immediately after receiving her letters patent, Melysa went on a short progress and sent word to various small villages throughout the North, seeking even the most unskilled of laborers and offering them food and shelter in exchange for taking part in the reconstruction of her new holdings. The Spectre Of Rebellion What began with the distribution of a series of treasonous pamphlets known as The Freedom Papers, written by Ranves Darn has become a tenuous situation for those who would see order maintained during times of war. Having learned of the author's efforts to see the contents of the pamphlets preached across the Eastern Kingdoms to those workers who are unable to read them, Melysa has done all that she can to silence the spread of his message on her own lands and urged Hellissa Brisby, whose name was invoked by the author to publicly denounce the contents of the publication. When a man came to Seastone and began reading the pamphlets to the citizens, he was charged with treason and inciting a riot. After being convicted, he was given the opportunity of a full pardon in exchange for information on the true identity of the pamphlet's author. After refusing, his tongue was removed with a hot knife and he was forced to spend the rest of his years in Seastone's dungeons. When a subsequent publication entitled Freedom Rises, invoked the Countess' own name, she decided it was time for action and spoke out publicly against the pamphlet's author by accusing him of treason and attempting to incite rebellion. Any and all persons found to be in association with the author and the spread of his message found on the Countess' lands were interrogated by the Marshal of Seastone and subsequently put to death. For a time, Melysa suspected that Duchess Brisby herself endorsed the author, but such suspicions were put to rest when Brisby informed her that a statement from house Ravenshadow had been issued to advise the would-be rebels of the futility of their actions. Diplomacy In Stormwind Wtih the reconstruction of her holdings near complete, Lady Melysa plans to journey south to Stormwind once more in her official capacity as an Ambassador of Stromgarde. The Lady is expected to travel with only a smell retinue. She plans to remain in Stormwind until the summer's end, during which time, she hopes to acquire the services of a few more swords to aid her in defending Seastone from the syndicate during the winter months ahead. The Order of the Crimson Fist Recently, Lady Melysa has been working to establish a small chapter of the Silver Hand in Stromgarde. The order is known as the Crimson Fist and comprised entirely of paladins from the highlands. The order was recently featured in the Stormwind Herald's eighth issue. Despite her misgivings and after much encouragement from the Bishop of Stromgarde, Melysa was eventually elected to serve as Grand Knight and represent the order at the Congregation of the Silver Hand. The Path To Serenity During a recent diplomatic engagement on the continent of Pandaria, Melysa had an opportunity to observe a number of pandaren monks during their daily training. So impressed by the sense of calm and aura of serenity possessed by the masters, the Countess was determined to take up such training to better herself. After beginning a vigorous regiment of physical training to strengthen her body and training briefly under Master Bao at the Northshire Abbey, Melysa could not help but wonder if as a paladin and a devout follower of the Holy Light, she might somehow combine the two paths. Most recently, she has sought the wisdom of both the pandaren and human masters, hoping to find one such master to instruct her privately. The Siege of Orgrimmar With the Alliance preparing for a siege and the Darkspear rebellion in full swing, a number of groups within the Grand Alliance have called meetings to discuss strategy. The War Council - 8/26 Melysa attended the war council headed by Baldrec Ashcroft on August 26th. where after setting aside their many differences, it was decided that those leaders present would assemble their troops at Tiragarde Keep in preparation for an assault on various Horde targets in Durotar. She has since ordered Sir Varyc Marwyn to assemble one third of Seastone's forces and prepare for the journey to Durotar. Unwilling to risk losing her holdings to another syndicate attack, the bulk of the Countess' forces will remain in Seastone. Meeting In Dalaran - 8/27 When Bishop Luther Alburton summoned various leaders to Dalaran to discuss similar plans, Melysa gladly attended on behalf of the Arathorian Coalition in the hope of acquiring additional military intelligence. Somewhat insulted by the beginning of the Bishop's speech, the Countess remained seated, listening until the Bishop began to talk of signing a treaty and electing military officers for the campaign against Garrosh Hellscream. Deciding that nothing useful would come of the meeting, the Countess then excused herself and returned by portal to Stormwind. A day later, the Countess was invited to a second gathering by the Duke of Rockvale, Tenevus Stromheart. Arrival In the Barrens After making preparations, the Countess is scheduled to arrive in the Barrens on the second of September with a third of Seastone's forces. While the absence of Seastone's Champion had temporarily left the small regiment in a state of disarray, the position was quickly filled by the Countess' Cousin, Sir Varyc Marwyn who will serve as their new Captain. Cutting Off the Supply Lines (Event) Acting on the information her scouts had gathered after assessing the Kor'Kron supply lines, the Countess planned to ambush a large, heavily-guarded caravan bound for Orgrimmar. On the night of September 4th, 623 K.C. an elite force under the Countess' command comprised of members of the Arathorian Coalition, the Seventh Vanguard, the Magus Senate of Dalaran, the League of Lordaeron, the Kul TIras Marines and a handful of other organizations under the banner of the Grand Alliance lay in wait for the caravan to pass through the Northern Barrens. The intelligence provided by Seastone's scouts proved to be only partially accurate when it was discovered that the Kor'Kron escort included not one, but three Kor'Kron Officers, and a force of more than twenty riders. The Countess ordered the Alliance force to carry out the ambush, riding out with the main force and her own men-at-arms to bring the wagons to a halt upon the road while two other groups attacked from the East and West. To close off their retreat, the fourth group attacked from the South, forcing the orcs to defend themselves from all sides. While the Countess' tactics proved quite effective, the Alliance force soon discovered that the Kor'Kron were prepared to die to protect their cargo and a bloody battle ensued. Well-organized as they were, the Alliance managed to cut down more than twenty of the Kor'Kron riders without suffering a single casualty and only a handful of wounded. The Countess quickly became a target once the Kor'Kron's Commanding Officer, Kriegar Spinebreaker discovered she was in command of the operation and ordered his soldiers to bring him her head. A blow from an orcish axe to her horse's neck brought down both horse and rider, pinning the Countess beneath the beast and causing a devastating injury to her left leg and knee. Commander Torgar The Younger was swiftly defeated by spell and steel, cursing the Alliance for refusing to give him the glorious death in battle he had hoped for. He was subsequently captured by the Arathorian Coalition and remains a prisoner of war. Commander Brogar Axegrinder proved to be a skilled warrior, but was eventually slain in combat by a member of the League of Lordaeron. It was Kriegar Spinebreaker who proved to be the finest warrior among the Kor'Kron, defeating two Alliance Champions in single combat and severely wounding both. After defeating both challengers, the Commander turned his attention back to the Countess, intent on finishing the job his soldiers had started. Despite numerous wounds, Spinebreaker managed to reach the Countess and engage her in single combat. Already wounded, Melysa was forced to use the Light to dull the blinding pain in her left leg, allowing her to defend herself against the Kor'Kron Commander and by the Light's grace and the aid of her allies, finally managed to slay him in single combat before collapsing on the field. Down, But Not Out Despite being informed by Doctor Augustine McPherson that the break in her left femur and the shattered knee below it would effectively end her involvement in the siege effort, the Countess refused to give up so easily. With her left leg now in a cast, she has appointed her Cousin, Sir Varyc Marwyn to serve as Field Commander in her stead and plans to spend her recovery in Dalaran where she will have access to daily reports and portal transport, should she require it in order to be present at Tiragarde and plan strategies with the other commanders. The Magus Senate of Dalaran has agreed to her request to remain in Dalaran for the duration of her recovery. The injury the Countess sustained may effectively end her military career, though only time will tell. Her closest advisers have urged her to put aside her armor and her sword and resume her political career, where she has been most effective, but Melysa has stubbornly refused to do so until she has consulted a number of healers. For a woman who loathes idle hours, the injury and its projected recovery time has soured the Countess' mood considerably and she is rumored to have verbally assaulted a number of nurses, her squire and several members of her staff. After being transported via portal to Dalaran, the Countess underwent a second round of healing from fellow Arathi paladin, Laurana Lightfaith. While Lightfaith was able to speed up the recovery process a good deal, her recovery is expected to take a number of weeks, during which time she plans to undergo physical therapy. The Congregation of the Silver Hand Though Melysa rarely attended meetings of the congregation in the past and openly opposed the former Grand Knight's use of the Knights of the Silver Hand in a campaign she believed was for his own personal glory, her return to the congregation in the aftermath of the campaign came out of her desire to see if it could indeed be salvaged. On the night of September 24th, 623 K.C. Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp personally nominated her to serve as Grand Knight for a period of two months, much to the Countess' surprise and that of her peers. What followed was a lengthy election process and after three consecutave rounds of voting, Melysa was elected by a narrow margin to serve as Grand Knight. Immediately following her acceptance, Sir Jeremaes Edrickton resigned as Exarch, informing the Congregation that his obligations to the Royal Army would be calling him elsewhere. As others were growing impatient due to the length of the meeting, Melysa accepted the Knight's resignation and closed the meeting with a brief prayer before speaking with two of the Congregation's current officers. Though she has made no formal announcement with regard to the changes she intends to make, the Countess has requested that Amaliana Bradford continue to serve as Chancellor. In the interest of efficiency, the Warden Guard has been deemed unnecessary and Melysa feels that the position of Exarch and its duties ought be modified. Many meetings have been scheduled for the coming weeks. Petition For Change Just days after being elected to the office of Grand Knight, Melysa petitioned the Council of Bishops to make a number of changes to the Congregation's constitution in the interest of ensuring that it remained true to its purpose. As part of these changes, all Congregational Officers would be elected by the Council of Peers as opposed to being appointed by the Grand Knight or another Officer. Retirement and the Road Ahead Retirement From the Order of the Silver Hand With her injury making her little more than a liability on the field of battle, Melysa has chosen to retire after more than two decades as a paladin. The decision was one that those closest to her thought long overdue. Once her term as Grand Knight of the Congregation is up, Melysa plans to return to Seastone and prepare her Cousin, Sir Varyc Marwyn for the responsibilities he will inherrit if she should die without an heir. Despite her injury, Melysa continues her daily regimen of physical training in the hope that she may one day recover the full range of movement in her knee. Many have urged her to continue serving the Order of the Silver Hand as both an adviser and a tactician, but Melysa plans to put all her effort into Stromgarde's Order of the Crimson Fist. She plans to open the order to monks, priests, and warriors who wish to undergo paladin training, and ensure that its new generation of aspirants are properly trained. She also serves as Exemplar, and a mentor to aspirants of the Covenant of the Pious. Another Winter On November first, the Countess had her 39th birthday, although she opted not to celebrate the occasion, and those that saw her in Stormwind reported that she seemed quite sullen, and perhaps more intoxicated than what is befitting a woman of her station. She has spent several days in Stormwind, visiting with Lord Blackwood, Lord Saltcliff, and a number of others while seeking to arrange a marriage for Arryc Blackfyre. Resignation The Countess has recently informed a number of peers of her desire to resign her office as Grand Knight of the Congregation of the Silver Hand. Despite their differences in opinion, Melysa plans to formally resign at the meeting scheduled for the 9th of Novemeber, and nominate a successor. Duchess of Seastone The recent split of the Arathi Highlands caused by Bishop Allrick Antonius' negotiations with the faction led by Duke-Claimant Mathilian Lionblood divided the Kingdom in half from East to West, leaving Hellissa Brisby to serve as regent in the East, while Mathilan Lionblood holds Stromgarde City and the Western half of the highlands. Unfortunately this left Seastone under the part of the Kingdom in Lionblood's control. Melysa was outraged by Antonius' willingness to give up half the Kingdom without a fight, and considered the move both cowardly, and treasonous. Unwilling to be ruled by anyone but a Trollbane, Melysa used her influence within the house of Nobles to call for an emergency session that would create the Duchy of Seastone, and annex all the unclaimed lands to the West of Alden's Rise--the clever move leaving her holdings straddling the border of both factions. As not a single soul could doubt her many contributions to the Kingdom and its people during Hellissa Brisby's Regency, the vote was unanimous. The acquisition of two silver mines, and the large gold mine just across the border of Alden's Rise has more than doubled her wealth, and ensured Seastone's survival for at least another generation, but for Melysa, yet another difficulty exists--the need for an heir. With a new title and more than 106,000 acres of land, Melysa hopes to find a favorable match with a husband capable of raising an army to defend her lands from the Alterac Syndicate or would-be tyrants, should the need arise. Unfortunately, her age may make it difficult to arrange such a marriage, and concerns as to whether or not a 39 year-old woman is even capable of conceiving another child only add to such difficulty. Nonetheless, Melysa is determined to prove those who would doubt her wrong. Rumor has it that she has even considererd marrying into the merchant class as a means to acquire the substancial funds required to fund an army. Coat of Arms Trivia *During a heated argument in the early years of their marriage, Melysa struck her lord husband, knocking out one of his teeth. Lord Ethan told his men that he'd lost the tooth in a melee. *Despite her stoic facade, when under the influence of spirits, Melysa can be quite bitter and resentful. *Her hatred of the forsaken is rivaled only by her hatred of those who have profited from the devastation of Lordaeron and her own Kingdom of Stromgarde. *Though it is seldom seen, Melysa bears a scar just below her left collar bone, where she was pierced by an arrow during the raid she led to recover her son's remains. *Melysa personally commanded the remains of her brother's troops during the battle for Stonegarde, achieving victory against the Alterac Syndicate and driving them from Marwyn lands. *Now approaching her 39th birthday, Melysa has recently begun a vigorous regiment of physical training in order to strengthen her body and has sought the wisdom of both pandaren and human monks in order to become a better leader to her people. *Despite a potentially debilitating injury sustained while commanding an operation in the barrens and being told she would never take to the field of battle again, Melysa has stubbornly begun physical therapy with the intent of proving her physicians wrong. *Unwilling to be ruled by anyone that was not of Trollbane blood, Melysa recently used her considerable influence within the house of nobles and the Regency Council to make Seastone a Duchy, and annex the unclaimed land to the West of her holdings. Quotes "Never let an enemy know your true feelings." To Hellissa Brisby. "The collective wisdom of one's peers is a resource often overlooked by those who lack humility." To her squire. "The forsaken are no better than the scourge that spawned them and they should all burn in holy fire." To her Niece, when speaking of the assassination of Prince Gallen Trollbane. "Pay no mind to this talk of reform and equality for the commonwealth. I will never allow the destruction of this Kingdom's nobility so long as I draw breath." To another Arathi noble while speaking of the Freedom Papers. "Nothing would please me more than to stand by and allow our enemies to destroy one another without a single alliance life lost, but that, my friends is naught but fantasy. The fact remains that the horde rebellion alone is not enough to end Hellscream's reign. Without the Grand Alliance, there will be no victory against Hellscream. Make no mistake... I have no appetite for this war, having lost so many I love to such conflicts. Yet there are some wars that -must- be fought and this is one of them. We cannot afford another Theramore." Melysa addressing the recent war council in preparation for the siege of Orgrimmar. "This entire election is a farce. Light help you all..." To the Congregation of the Silver Hand on November 9th, 623 K.C. after the meeting erupted into disorder. Gallery MelysaMarwyn.jpg|Wearing her old armor Melysa09.jpg|Enjoying the warm, Stormwind summer Melysaprofile.jpg|Another of her older gowns Melysa and Karindir.jpg|Seen with Sir Karindir Stonewarden, Champion of Seastone Lady Melysa.jpg|Seen wearing the elegant pandaren gown and matching necklace gifted to her by Hellissa Brisby Melysa04.jpg|Enjoying a walk in the gardens at Stormwind Keep MelysaPractice.jpg|Melysa Marwyn during training War Council.jpg|Melysa attending the war council in preparation for the siege of Orgrimmar Melysa In Alliance Armor.jpg|The Countess addressing her soldiers as they prepare to set out for the Barrens MMA1.png|Melysa's personal coat of arms CrimsonFist.jpg|The standard of the Grand Knight of Stromgarde Countess Seastone.png|The Countess of Seastone's coat of arms.|link=Countess of Seastone Category:Characters Category:Covenant of the Pious Category:House of Ashvale Category:House of Marwyn Category:Human Category:Monks Category:Order of the Crimson Fist Category:Order of the Silver Hand Category:Politicians Category:Stromgarde Human Category:Stromgarde Peerage Category:Stromgarde House of Nobles Category:Duchy of Seastone